Love Eternal
by Shara1
Summary: Chihaya has been secritive of late and Kagetsuya is left wondering why (Warning: Shonen Ai Content)


I do not own Earthian

I do not own Earthian. This story was written for entertainment only. No copyright infringement was intended. There is a little bit of angst in this story so please be forewarned. It's not that bad as far as angst tends to go, but I did want to give you fair warning. I hope you enjoy the story. Thank you for reading it! /\_/\

~Shara~

**Love Eternal**

Dark lumbering clouds in hues ranging from jet to indigo hung over the bright lights of the city cloaking it in darkness. The air thick with humidity was still as if the night was holding its breath. A tall figure dressed in tan trench coat paced down the sidewalk with his hands tucked into his coat pockets. The short blond hair that surrounded the stately lines of the man's face were painted a gray blue by the surrounding shadows. Overhead the clouds churned in the angry yellow purple hue of a new bruise as lightening jumped across the sky. Luminous sapphire eyes followed the trail of light the man's emotions reflecting the gloom of the approaching storm. 

Thunder rumbled ominously overhead as Kagetsuya came to a stop in front of a small fat two story brick building that was dwarfed by the shiny new skyscrapers that surrounded it. Though the building had obviously been around a while it was well maintained. A brightly painted sign that Kagetsuya couldn't make out in the darkness hung over the double glass doors that served as an entrance to the building.

This was where his lover had stopped. He could feel Chihaya's presence like a beacon of light shining brightly through the bleak night. Part of him wanted to barge into that building and demand to know why Chihaya had come to this place. It was dark and soon it would rain. Chihaya should be safe at home. 

But the last few nights he had been staying out much longer than normal and Kagetsuya was becoming worried. Part of him was terrified at what he might find if he followed this journey to its end.

"I want to trust you, Chihaya." Kagetsuya whispered into the night addressing his absent lover. "But you've been so secretive of late. That isn't like you at all. You're usually so open with me, it makes me wonder what has changed. I know it has something to do with this building, but whenever I bring up the subject you change the topic. I really wish I wasn't thinking what I am thinking. And I know I probably shouldn't have followed you. But I have to know." 

Squaring his shoulders, Kagetsuya took his hands from his pockets and pushed the doors open. He winced as his eyes adjusted to the brightly-lit hallway. The soft murmur of voices at the other end drew him forward reluctantly. He stopped in his tracks when a soft, oh so familiar voice sounded from inside the room at the end of the hall. Leaning against the cheerfully bright yellow wall, Kagetsuya held his breath. His heart was beating so hard he almost couldn't hear what Chihaya was saying. 

He could almost see the light dancing in his lover's unfathomable amethyst eyes from the sound of his voice. He could imagine Chihaya's soft rose-colored lips turn up into a smile as he spoke.

"Hai, I will tell him tonight. I can't wait to see his face when he finally knows the truth." 

A warm peal of laughter flowed over the room. "That sounds like fun. Oh, Chihaya I am so glad you've been coming here. You are absolutely wonderful. I love…"

Kagetsuya could stand to hear no more of this conversation. His heart shriveled in his chest as his worst fears were realized. Upset and confused the tall blond stumbled into the door that stuck part way into the hall with a loud thud. He froze catching a glimpse of easels, canvases, and paintings cluttering the small room his lover and the stranger were standing in. 

The stranger was of moderate height with sandy blond hair that hung down his back in a long ponytail. His face was angular. The sharp lines and edges gave him a hard appearance. Though the man's eyes were gentle. He wore a paint covered blue painting smock over a brown sweater; the neck of witch could just be seen peeking out of the collar of the smock. 

Kagetsuya's pain fogged mind didn't really register what he was seeing as he looked past the unknown man at the lovely and guilt ridden face of his beloved. Hair so black that it glimmered with violet highlights framed Chihaya's face making the young man's countenance seem almost deathlike as he blanched under his lover's gaze. The rich red shirt and dark black pants he was wearing only heightened the effect.

The man in the smock looked from Kagetsuya to Chihaya in surprise and back again as if unable to do anything else. 

The betrayal branded across Kagetsuya's handsome face obviously confused and frightened his dark hared lover. Turning his almost feminine face towards the blond, Chihaya reached out a delicate fine boned hand. "Kagetsuya, what's wrong?"

Groaning in pain the Kagetsuya turned away from those seemingly innocent eyes. His face fell. It felt as if his whole body was suddenly made of lead as a dreadful heaviness fell over Kagetsuya's heart "How can you stand there after what you just said and act as if you didn't know. Well, I am not going to let you play with my heart like this any more. I'm leaving. You can play your little games with your new friend. He seems to like you well enough." 

Taking a step forward, Kagetsuya paused at the sharp painful sounding intake of breath from his lover. What if he was wrong? What if this was just some big misunderstanding? Could it be? This was not the first time Chihaya seemed to want someone other than him. Shoving his trembling hands back into the pockets of his trench coat so Chihaya wouldn't see how much he was hurting, Kagetsuya straightened his back and walked purposefully forward. 

The sound of footsteps echoed behind him and Kagetsuya sped up ignoring Chihaya's pleading calls. Inside his heart he was torn. He wanted so much to believe in Chihaya's innocence, but the overhead conversation was not so easy to forget. Nor were the memories of Chihaya's obsession with Messiah likely to fade any time soon. Even so, Chihaya sounded so mournful. 

"Kagetsuya?," Chihaya screamed chasing his lover out of the door without a look back at the man in the smock. 

Shaking his head the man in the smock sighed," Oh Chihaya, I am so sorry. I wish there were some way I could help you." As he glanced around the room his eyes fell upon one particular painting that had been wrapped in manila paper. 

With a look of great determination on his face the artist picked up the bundle following the couple out of the building. 

Chihaya's tears melted into the rain as he ran headlong through the storm. He shivered as the air pressure changed and a chill breeze found its way down the back of his shirt. He ignored the thunder, the lightening and the fat drops of water that fell down from the roiling clouds. The gurgle of water rushing on its way to the sewer was the only response to his frantic calls. His shirt hung down on his light frame heavy with the water it was collecting. But it didn't mater. None of it mattered if he couldn't catch the one person who meant more than anything else in his life. Stumbling over the uneven pavement for the tenth time, Chihaya wished he were more physically skilled. Kagetsuya had easily outdistanced him within the first block. His throat felt raw from screaming his lover's name, but he kept calling. He would keep calling until he had no more voice. 

After all they had gone through to be together he couldn't lose Kagetsuya. "Why didn't I just tell him my secret? I knew he was upset about something. I should have realized it was because I was acting so secretive. If he overheard my conversation with Ray sensei, I can understand how he might think I was being unfaithful, but I could never love another. Oh dearest God this is such a horrid mess. I know I am not your best or brightest angel, but please let me find him. I can't live without him." 

Bright eyes filled with intense emotions watched as the dark haired boy ran blindly past the ally his lover had hidden in. Kagetsuya's heart screamed at him to do something more than just stand there and watch Chihaya go by. He knew his lover was not the kind of person who could easily lie, how could the raw emotions on that far to beautiful face be faked? No matter what his mind said, Kagetsuya's heart wanted nothing more than to go after his dark angel. 

But his mind was in control of his body and he stayed frozen in place staring as the man Chihaya had been talking to happen to glance down into the ally. Kagetsuya glared at the man with an icy gaze. "What do you want. Don't you think you have done enough?" He grated out in a voice lacking all emotion.

The man bowed very low before meeting Kagetsuya's eyes. "I am sorry to bother you, but before you make any hasty decisions could you please look at this?" 

Standing up he held out a bulky object that looked to be some kind of panting wrapped up in paper. 

For an instant Kagetsuya felt like turning and leaving. But that part of him that wanted this all to be a mistake forced him to stay. Narrowing his eyes, Kagetsuya plucked the object out of the man's hands. The overhanging roofs would protect the picture from being rained on. Carefully pulling the protective wrapping off of the painting, Kagetsuya held it up into the light of a near by streetlight.

As soon as he could see it clearly he nearly dropped the painting from shock. On a field of stars that hung over a beautiful blue green planet were the ghostly figures to two angels. The angel to the right had gleaming white wings that cloaked the stars in a transparent pearly vale. The angel on the left sported iridescent black wings that blended into the darkness of space. They reached out towards each other through the vast vacuum, their linked fingers coming to rest over the earth. The details were incredible. Even though the figures hand been painted to be see-through their features were clear and easily recognizable. Kagetsuya gasped as he read the inscription at the bottom of the painting. "Love Eternal" He whispered out loud as his eyes began to sting with unshed tears. Like a light turning on suddenly he understood something he had never really considered before. Chihaya saw life in a completely different way than he did. He knew that. They were opposites in many ways. He was negative while Chihaya was positive in his beliefs and attitudes. That was why they were partnered together in the first place. When his lover began acting oddly he immediately feared that something was wrong. It was understandable considering his personality. But he never tried to look at the situation from Chihaya's point of view. 

"That's it!" He thought to himself," It has to be that I just miss interpreted his actions. He is so naive and I know that part of his personality is not a show. It's genuinely a part of him. He probably felt the relationship was secure. He's told me straight out that all he wanted from Messiah was the friendship of someone else who was different. Looking back on it, I don't think he even realized why I was so upset back then. It never occurred to him to think that I might think he didn't love me anymore." 

The painting wasn't the most technically correct painting Kagetsuya had seen. But each and every stroke of the brush was filled with love. The artist had put his heart into this work. As a result the painting held a vibrancy that reached out to the viewer. "Chihaya painted this." Kagetsuya stated quietly as he brushed his fingers over the frame. "Why did he hide it? It's lovely." Carefully he wrapped the painting back into it's protective paper.

"I think he wanted to surprise you. I run the art class that Chihaya has been taking. He's been a very fine student, but that is all. I assure you…"

"I know," Kagetsuya waved him off as he fled down the alleyway back to the street," I realized that the moment I saw this painting. Thank you for showing this to me. But now I need to find Chihaya." 

"Your welcome!" The artist called out as the tall blond dashed away from him with the painting tucked safely under one arm. 

Kagetsuya's heart ached as he felt the ball of pain and grief that radiated from the black angel. Pain he had created with his narrow-minded thinking.. He wished fervently that he had come to an understanding about Chihaya earlier so they could have avoided this grief. Entering the apartment building Kagetsuya dashed down the hall to the apartment he shared with Chihaya. A soft weeping could be heard from inside. Grateful for Chihaya's carelessness for once, he pushed open the door his lover had left ajar. 

Setting the painting down in the entranceway, Kagetsuya kicked off his shoes onto the mat and closed the door. Lying on the couch in the small living room area curled up into a fetal ball soaking wet and shivering was his little lover. 

"Chihaya, Chihaya I am so sorry," Kagetsuya was across the room in less than a second and kneeling by Chihaya's side. Weaving his fingers into the dark hair he whispered against Chihaya's ear, "Please forgive me I didn't understand."

It took a moment for Chihaya to recognize Kagetsuya in his frantic state. When he finally realized that Kagetsuya had come back he threw himself into his lovers arms. Tears freely flowed down his pixy face. "You're here! You came back to me. You really are here." Chihaya pressed his face into his lover's shirt curling his hands possessively around the blonde's waist. 

"Shhhh," Kagetsuya stopped the rambling by placing a kiss on the top of shimmering black silk that surrounded Chihaya's face. "Yes, I'm here. And I promise I won't ever leave you again."

"Never?" Chihaya asked in a tiny voice without looking up as if he were afraid of what the answer might be.

"Never," Kagetsuya repeated adamantly wrapping his arms around his soggy beloved. "Can you forgive me for doubting you? 

The dark-haired boy sniffled and shook his head," It wasn't your fault. If I had been open with you, you wouldn't have misunderstood what I was doing." 

"No, you have the right to surprise me if you want to. I jumped to the worst conclusion without even asking you how you felt. I am not good with emotions. Not like you are. However, from now on if anything bad happens that makes me afraid or jealous I will tell you about it. Then we can deal with it together."

Nodding into Kagetsuya's chest a powerful shudder racked Chihaya's small form as his shivering increased. "D…deal."

Kagetsuya gently lifted Chihaya away from his chest," Come on now stand up. We should get you into some warm dry clothes and then I think you could use a nap. This has been a vary trying evening."

Chihaya stood up with Kagetsuya's aid without protest, but he leaned into his lover's embrace as if he were afraid that Kagetsuya might disappear should he let go. "Will you lay down with me? I don't want to be alone right now. I feel very cold." 

"Then I'll keep you warm," Kagetsuya rubbed his lover's back reassuringly as he answered. 

Slipping into the bedroom Kagetsuya walked over to the large brown dresser in the far corner to search for clothing while Chihaya began striping his wet clothes off piece by piece. By the time Kagetsuya found some flannel pajamas Chihaya was drying his lean and beautiful body off with a fluffy blue towel he had taken from the bathroom. The dark hared boy was still shivering despite being dry, so Kagetsuya rushed the warm clothes over to his frail looking lover. Though he would have enjoyed having more time to appreciate his lover's beauty. Right now, however, it was more important to get Chihaya warmed up so he wouldn't catch a cold.

It only took a moment for Chihaya to pull the little rubber ducky pajamas on. As soon as their warmth surrounded him, Chihaya's shivering lessened. But it didn't stop. 

Wrapping himself around his small lover, Kagetsuya lifted Chihaya up and carried him over to the futon. Setting Chihaya down he spooned up behind his lover pulling a blanket over both of them. Kagetsuya sighed in relief as Chihaya finally stopped shivering and relaxed into his embrace. Kagetsuya's finger brushed across Chihaya's cheek lingering on the full rose colored lips. Silently he prayed a prayer of thanks for the greatest blessing in his life as the gentle rise and fall of Chihaya's chest settled into the deep slow rhythm of sleep.

The End


End file.
